UK toy fairs and swap meets

The 1/43rd scale Moss Cars thread has thrown up some interesting chat about, in particular, Shepton Mallet and Exeter toy fairs and the Moss models (and potential conversions) to be found there. This thread is intended to widen the discussion for collectors of other non-Moss but still TNF-related Racing Collectables (you know, cars driven by Mike Hawthorn, people like that) to discuss venues, who's going, what might be there (carefully adhering, of course, to the Forum's prohibition on personal or commercial advertising - the Autosport bulletin board (which includes TNF) already has a 'For Sale and Wanted' forum:

Well I should be at Shepton on 16th all being well although Eastleigh also has a toyfair that day. Personally I think Shepton is the better of the two.

Yes a woolly hat and a scarf are needed. The queuing area is a wind tunnel and boy can it blow!

I will be climbing the stairs to the Wessex club stand as they are all long-time friends, esp Barry Lloyd. It is a good place to meet in any case as it is on the balcony where there is less of a crush. Hope to see you there!

Well I should be at Shepton on 16th all being well although Eastleigh also has a toyfair that day. Personally I think Shepton is the better of the two.

Yes a woolly hat and a scarf are needed. The queuing area is a wind tunnel and boy can it blow!

I will be climbing the stairs to the Wessex club stand as they are all long-time friends, esp Barry Lloyd. It is a good place to meet in any case as it is on the balcony where there is less of a crush. Hope to see you there!

Tony L and RCH are also hoping to go - although I must confess that for me Eastleigh is closer.

It looks like the next Shepton is going to be a good day all round. Three of us usually go up from Exeter and this time it will probably be four. Don't worry about queuing in the cold, Malcolm. Aim to get there just after the doors open at 10.30 and you probably won't have to wait. I'll bring my hip flask to cheer you up, and there is plenty of coffee available.

In the past we have been to fairs at the NEC and Stoneleigh, but would like to get to Donnington. I would be interested to hear about fairs and swap meets in other parts of the country. Has anyone got any recommendations?

It looks like the next Shepton is going to be a good day all round. Three of us usually go up from Exeter and this time it will probably be four. Don't worry about queuing in the cold, Malcolm. Aim to get there just after the doors open at 10.30 and you probably won't have to wait. I'll bring my hip flask to cheer you up, and there is plenty of coffee available.

In the past we have been to fairs at the NEC and Stoneleigh, but would like to get to Donnington. I would be interested to hear about fairs and swap meets in other parts of the country. Has anyone got any recommendations?

Probably too far from Exeter but there is Kempton Park and Sandown - both excellent although I rarely attend because I have other things to do those days. Eastleigh of course and a few others in the south but much smaller. Windsor Toy Fair is twice a year but I am not certain when the next one is to take place. Not autosport but I do travel up to Spalding for the Toy Tractor Show (sorry lads but I am into farm toys)

It looks like the next Shepton is going to be a good day all round. Three of us usually go up from Exeter and this time it will probably be four. Don't worry about queuing in the cold, Malcolm. Aim to get there just after the doors open at 10.30 and you probably won't have to wait. I'll bring my hip flask to cheer you up, and there is plenty of coffee available.

In the past we have been to fairs at the NEC and Stoneleigh, but would like to get to Donnington. I would be interested to hear about fairs and swap meets in other parts of the country. Has anyone got any recommendations?

My info is pretty much out of date these days but I always reckoned Kempton Park was the best. There was a little enclave of us up the one end, Chris Davis, Graham Hamilton and sometimes the late Ron Peggs who you may have known. Tony Smith had a stall up the other end, the joke was we wouldn't let him into our corner! Tony doesn't go any more or Ron obviously don't know about the others but there was always a lot of kits and handbuilts on offer. Sandown was always very, very busy and crowded. It was a bit more toy and less model if you know what I mean.

Shepton used to be just on the edge of viability when I first started doing fairs, travelling from Oxfordshire. I gave up after a while but when I moved back to Devon it was a lot better. Exeter I only ever used to go to because people would say "you're only just up the road", but going back again after a few years I've been pleasantly surprised.

I'll second the recommendation of Kempton and Sandown. Both are big enough to attract a good variety even if it they include several stands with trains, a few with buses, and one or two selling old Dinky toys, aeroplanes, teddy bears and general old toys. Being in the main racecourse stand, parking is never a problem.

I used to like Crawley Leisure Centre but it has shrunk and the trains have taken over. Farnham Maltings was nice with all the small rooms but apparently it has had to be discontinued because 'Elf and Safety say there isn't wheelchair access.

I've been to several middle-sized ones including a couple in other parts of the country when I've happened to be in that neck of the woods (ie sneakily scheduled a family visit for that particular weekend). They are all much of a muchness with more trains and buses than cars and I can't recommend any one in particular or single out any to avoid. These include: Chester, Conway, Dartford, Huntingdon, Norwich, Orpington, Sidcup, Slough and Worthing.

The only sources for dates I know of are the websites of Model Collector and Diecast Collector magazines. One gives admission prices which gives a good indicator of the size. Does anyone know a better source of information?

What I would welcome is suggestions of fairs that are worth travelling a distance to.

Thank you, everyone. That's a pretty good survey. We have been intending do Sandown and Kempton for some time but as yet have not got around to making the effort as either would be quite a long trip. Will put those on the 2013 calendar. We always enjoyed going round the stalls at the Goodwood F of S as in the early days there were plenty of traders, but I gather rising rents have seen several pull out. The south west still has several small fairs but the majority of these have become very railway orientated. There is a big one at Exeter Livestock Market tomorrow but with very few traders stocking motorsport items it will be a quick trot around and then time for coffee and a bacon roll.

Sadly no Moss cars at Exeter Livestock Centre today. Excellent if you into model railways. One of our company picked up a Models of Yesteryear ERA for £2 and a James Bond Lotus. All I wanted was a D type Jag but nothing doing.

As regards information on forthcoming toy fairs Railway Modeller magazine always give good coverage to future events in their ads section at the back so five minutes in W H Smith's could be worthwhile.

Now there's a thought! Compare Railway Modeller's list with the ones in Diecast Collector and Model Collector and you'll see which ones to avoid Admittedly some of the railway stalls also have a few cars.

Now there's a thought! Compare Railway Modeller's list with the enes in Diecast Collector and Model Collector and you'll see which ones to avoid Admittedly some of the rilway stalls also have a few cars.

Well, I came away empty-handed.
There was a fairly good selection of stalls, significantly more car and bus stalls than trains, but unfortunately nothing that said "Buy me!".
Maybe I'm getting too picky!

Well, I came away empty-handed. There was a fairly good selection of stalls, significantly more car and bus stalls than trains, but unfortunately nothing that said "Buy me!". Maybe I'm getting too picky!

Just posted to remind everyone, Shepton Mallet toyfair on Sunday. I've got my table booked and just realised it's 8 years since I was last there! I was tempted to go on the balcony again like we used to but have chickened out of lugging everything upstairs which means I shall probably freeze to death downstairs.

Good to meet you although I have seen you about without knowing who you were. It was positively balmy although a bit muddy in the car park. However the wind also refrained from blasting down the walkway to the hall which was an added bonus. Glad your feet did not freeze.

I do wish they had one nearer Lymington: is there any worthwhile 'toy fair' activity at the Beaulieu Autojumble (18th and 19th May 2013) or is it all old Austin 7 radiators?

I did a Beaulieu autojumble some years ago and was quite pleased with the result. You should be able to find stuff to interest you Malcolm, the problem is ferretting it out from the Austin 7 radiators! I'm no expert on these events but if I remember rightly they have marquees in which model/picture type stuff can be found.

I did a Beaulieu autojumble some years ago and was quite pleased with the result. You should be able to find stuff to interest you Malcolm, the problem is ferretting it out from the Austin 7 radiators! I'm no expert on these events but if I remember rightly they have marquees in which model/picture type stuff can be found.

I'm currently divesting myself, via ebay, of close on 40 years of accumulated boating junk. It may be that when I get to the bottom of that pile I'll get to something to take to the Autojumble. Anybody wanna starter motor for a 1956 Vauxhall Wyvern? (No - no - no: only joking. This is just the place where someone is likely to pop up and say "yes, please"! )

I did a Beaulieu autojumble some years ago and was quite pleased with the result. You should be able to find stuff to interest you Malcolm, the problem is ferretting it out from the Austin 7 radiators! I'm no expert on these events but if I remember rightly they have marquees in which model/picture type stuff can be found.

Many of the Beaulieu events have some traders selling models too. Beaulieu hold "Simply" events - Simply Ford, Simply German etc - during the summer. The traders, however, have a greater variety of models than the 1:1 scale cars on display. However the entry fee is pretty high if you only want to browse the stalls

Sadly the Exeter crew can't make it either. We have just had four fairs in week down here so funds are currently limited. Sandown has been on our 'want to do' list for sometime. I just looked to see when the next one is and alas its 1 June which clashed with the British speedway GP at the Millennium Stadium. Another great day out!

Sadly the Exeter crew can't make it either. We have just had four fairs in week down here so funds are currently limited. Sandown has been on our 'want to do' list for sometime. I just looked to see when the next one is and alas its 1 June which clashed with the British speedway GP at the Millennium Stadium. Another great day out!

I don't know if the organisers would be happy with me calling Race Retro a collectors fayre. We went on Friday, parked close by the main entrance and walked straight in at 9.45. After a quick stop off to say hello to Adrian and Carol at Modelworks we headed right out to the cattle shed to grab some bargains. It was freezing and sadly bargains were in short supply, as most people were asking silly prices. However we didn't do too badly. I picked up a Starter Ferrari 250GT ( Mike Parkes TT car) for £3.50, and three Grani Cuba GP Maserati 450s for a tenner from a clearance stall. Chaters also had a bargain book stand where we did quite well.

All in all it was an enjoyable day. Twenty quid admission is quite steep for a day's shopping as there didn't seem to be as many cars on display as on previous visits. We had a good chat with the guy on the Classic Team Lotus stand and heard some interesting anecdotes, enjoyed looking at the various art work stands and the South Hants guys usual excellent model display. All in all an enjoyable day out.

There's a 250-stall toy fair at York Racecourse this Sunday, the 17th. For all I know, it may be all trains, trucks and teddy bears. As we will be on holiday in that neck of the woods I may be able to escape for an hour or two and pay it a visit.

There's a 250-stall toy fair at York Racecourse this Sunday, the 17th. For all I know, it may be all trains, trucks and teddy bears. As we will be on holiday in that neck of the woods I may be able to escape for an hour or two and pay it a visit.

A bit far for me - but if you see anything worthwhile a picture or two would be nice.

Of all the toyfairs I've been to over the years, Sandown Park is the best. Donington Park used to be good but I haven't been there for a while, also Bristol when it was held in the old Brunel trainshed but that's defunct, I think

Kempton Park in SW London was fairly good as I remember (although it may have a different organiser now), and there is one on March 24th - according to publicity there were 200 stalls at the last one, whereas Sandown Park has up to 500 (they claim - the last time I went there were quite a few empty spaces).

Of all the toyfairs I've been to over the years, Sandown Park is the best. Donington Park used to be good but I haven't been there for a while, also Bristol when it was held in the old Brunel trainshed but that's defunct, I think

Kempton Park in SW London was fairly good as I remember (although it may have a different organiser now), and there is one on March 24th - according to publicity there were 200 stalls at the last one, whereas Sandown Park has up to 500 (they claim - the last time I went there were quite a few empty spaces).

Paul M

When I was selling regularly at toy fairs I always reckoned Kempton was the best, same customers as Sandown but far more space to display. At that time 6/7 years ago we had a little ghetto of 1/43 handbuilt specialists up the far end, Chris Davis, Graham Hamilton, the late Ron Peggs and yours truly. Don't know whether anyone gets there now. Not been there since Russell Martin took over the organisation but he should know what he's doing.

York was a tad disappointing. Quite a mix of stalls: trains, buses. Dinkies, and a few with Brumm, Minichamps and other 'modern' makers but not that many competition cars and nothing that took my fancy. Prices were reasonable.

Went to Kempton. As Rod said, it's smaller than Sandown but there were more car stalls there, including a couple selling white metal kits and built. Presumably Russel Martin has a connection with JM Toys as they had a massive stall - or is it their way of subsidising the hobby?